Classes/Schedule

Our Daily Schedule is as follows:

Each day at the Florida Earthskills Gathering starts with a community breakfast at around 7:30 (Wednesday's breakfast will be at 8). Morning Circle is at 9:00am (10 am on Wednesday). Aside from a later start on the first day (Wednesday) morning and afternoon classes are held from 10:00 am – 12 noon and from 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm. Lunch is on your own and dinner is served around sunset. Breaks leave time for games, trade circles, and visits to the AnceSTORE. Each morning opens with sunrise yoga, and evenings are rich with live acoustic music, drumming, dancing, storytelling, and friendship around the fire circles.

We’ll ring a bell to let you know when meals are ready, and we’ll blow a conch to open and close workshop blocks. A central info board provides class listings, directions to class locations, and other important information about the gathering.

Our Closing Circle is at 5pm Sunday.

We understand that participants would like to be able to plan to attend the classes that most interest them, however, classes inevitably get shifted around as the schedule takes shape. The tentative 2018 class schedule is listed below, please remember that the schedule is Always Subject to Change.

Sign-up for classes takes place on site the night before, and the day of, the class.

To see the 2018 class description click on the class name. To see the 2018 instructor bio and a full list of their 2018 classes click on the instructor's name. It will appear in a new tab in your browser.

Many adult classes permit older children and teens to attend, as indicated by the age limit in the class description. Our growing youth class schedule can be seen here, and a complete version will be posted at the event. We have lots of great youth teachers coming back from last year who are looking forward to creating an awesome experience for all ages!

Learn how to apply permaculture principles to your everyday life. When we solve problems, the permaculture toolbox helps you to create tools as well as use tools that have been created from all over the world to solve these problems. It's a philosophy as well as a real-world, hands-on approach that's designed to help you to prosper by being more connected with nature's processes.

Learn how to ferment your own fertilizers! You can use the plant and animal refuse around you to create microbe rich ferments that will regenerate the life in your soil and make nutrients bio-available to the plant beings in your garden. Our species has depleted the soil for too long and now it's up to us to go back to regeneration. We have to put life back in the soil that feeds us. I will cover several different garden ferments for different purposes. Some for root growth. Some for veg and some for bloom and fruit. We will cover everything from a simple aloe ferment to fermented fish guts! Your relationship with the plants around you is about to get taken up a notch! *Bring a small container if you'd like to take home samples.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Lotions, Potions, Tinctures, Enemas, Basic Shiitake Recipes of all types. FOOD especially! Mushrooms are animals, just like you and me, thus complex animal protein! Nutrition, chemistry, and current medicinal recipes for home and health. They can save your life from cancer or save your farm from repossession (at $15/lb). Book available.

A magical treatment to eliminate allergies and autoimmune problems in yourself and your loved ones. We will work in pairs to learn this non-invasive, gentle but powerful technique involving hands-on energy transfer to specific points on the body. Followed by a discussion about nurturing a healthy immune system.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

Prehistoric Pottery class teaches you how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The more time you put in, the more refined and bigger your project can be. If you plan to make a pot bigger than a coconut, you need to start on the first day and then let your project sit for a day (depending on relative humidity and windage) before refining.

Fiber Artist Welcomed!!! Do you enjoy working with beautiful fibers; wool, cashmere, angora, and silk? I will show you how to unravel a sweater to recycle the beautiful fibers for your next project. Learn how to unmake a sweater, skein the yarn and prepare it for your next fiber project. This yarn can then be used in some of the natural dye classes offered later in the week. Class fees only apply if you take a sweater to dismantle and keep the yarn.

Wednesday (2/7/2018) - Late-afternoon/ evening

The Clearness Committee comes out of the Quaker Tradition. A circle of peers form a committee that will lead the focus person to draw upon their own inner wisdom and find clarity, using honest and open questions, and refraining from advice. Please indicate on the sign up sheet if you would like to be the focus person who will bring a personal problem/challenge to the group. This is a space of confidentiality, vulnerability, compassionate listening, and non-judgement.

Please meet at 7:30pm at the Ancestor Fire and we will relocate to a more private location.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you'd like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Discussion of skills for living in the tipi, design elements of different peoples, construction elements, adjusting for fire/rain/snow, what goes where, managing fire, ideas for longer term living, etc. around the fire in the tipi in the evening.

Sisters, let's gather together for an evening discussion on self care, herbs for women, stages of life, sexual empowerment and everything that makes us WOMAN! Nothing is taboo and everything is on the table. We will circle up in ceremony and each woman will have the opportunity to share their story. There will be songs shared, tears shed, comfort and compassion extended, and much laughter together. All ages of maiden, mother and crone are welcome. There will be medicinal chai and herbal chocolate offered for all. Sistren UNITE!

come, bring your projects and tools and we'll try and figure 'em out. Or, start a small project with traditionally tanned buckskin i provide. this could be a belt pouch, pocket, small bag, or journal. I'll have samples of those and various clothing items to demonstrate pattern and design. if you got tools please bring 'em. if possible, please bring any awls, scissors, perma-lock needles, glover's needles. metal, bone, stone. scrap leather, buckskin, button material. you only have to pay if you buy buckskin from me, 15$ a square foot-$20 dollars a square foot for buckskin, i may be open to trades....

We will cook (and eat!) using a big ole cast iron cauldron. We will discuss using and caring for cast iron, cooking over the fire and participants can share some of their favorite recipes, cooking methods and experiences

Spend a class learning about trees and shrubs. We will go for a plant walk to learn how to identify a woody plant by the leaves, bark and other characteristics. Common and obscure uses for woody plants of the Floridian flora that may support overall health, well-being and sustenance will also be discussed.

This will be an informed discussion about the connection between nutrition and mental health. We will share experiences, and discuss how traditional and primitive foods affect our moods and bring joy, happiness and clarity into our life.

An on-site plant walk discussing the botany, identification & uses of plants encountered on the trail. Focus will be on the medicinal uses and preparation of plants within the context of ecology and culture. Two of the Florida plants that we will discuss include gotu kola (Centella asiatica) and the prickly ash tree (Zanthoxylem clava-herculis). Be prepared to walk regardless of the weather and dress appropriately.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

Introduction to Birds and Bird Language With Luke Learningdeer and Yuri Woodstock

Bird Language, The Conversation of the Wilds!

The astounding World of Birds and Bird Language offers us new and novel insights and unexpected wisdoms that greatly expand our Awareness and understanding of the wild landscape.

Come ready for an inspiring class that dives deep into the lives of our local feathered friends, and teaches practical techniques to begin the life changing journey of joining the Conversation of the Wilds.

Heard about NVC but don't know where to begin? Discover how to look at people and yourself more compassionately by seeing life through the lens of feelings and needs. This class will talk about the framework of Non Violent Communication, and provide ways in which you can integrate these ideas into your relationships and daily life. This is a very participatory class with lots of interpersonal sharing, experiential activities and deep listening. We'll also be doing a little bit of time travelling (yes, you read that right).

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I really just try to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Hickory milk is a traditional food of eastern North America that has been consumed for thousands of years. It was a staple before corn was brought to this region, and remained a staple afterward, taking the place that dairy products did in European diets. Pounding whole nuts and making milk is a much more labor-efficient way to consume hickory nuts than cracking and shelling. We'll talk about identifying the different kinds of hickory nuts that are suitable for making milk, how to store them, and equipment for making this delicious drink. Then we'll go through the process of making a batch of our own with a wooden mortar and pestle. We'll also talk about the related but little-known tradition of making oil from hickory nuts and acorns. We'll discuss how to do all of this with modern and primitive methods, and you'll get to taste a sample of hickory oil.

Eco-printing is a technique where plants, leaves, and flowers leave their shapes, color, and marks on fabric through the application of pressure and heat. We will harvest plant material locally to create our bundles. This class will start in the morning with a short walk to harvest plant material, then participants will create a plant and fabric bundle, wrapped tightly in a string. The big reveal happens after 6 hours or more of boiling to extract the color, shape, and texture of the plant material used in each bundle. Projects will be available to pick up at the following morning circle. Linen scarves, cotton tee shirts, wool squares and bamboo socks will be available to use by participants, fees are based on the item participants use for the project and range from $5 - $10

Have a friend help you deepen your yoga practice, and let’s learn to take care of each other in one of the most basic, instinctual, earthly, and human ways, through touch! We will be focusing on connection; connection to our breath, our body, the ground, each other, and the shared innate wisdom we all possess in our bodies ability to heal itself and help others. We will begin class with some partner yoga/stretching and then move into both giving and receiving traditional Thai Massage, which is a seamless integration of assisted yoga, various massage techniques, and meditation. Leave class feeling deeply nourished at the physical, mental, and emotional level and with a great love and appreciation for community. Please bring a yoga mat or blanket to practice on if desired.

Prehistoric Pottery class teaches you how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The more time you put in, the more refined and bigger your project can be. If you plan to make a pot bigger than a coconut, you need to start on the first day and then let your project sit for a day (depending on relative humidity and windage) before refining.

The class will begin with a friendly game of Cocoball out in the field near the class station. The winning team will get first choice of coconuts. Once you have your coconut you will learn to break open a coconut with your bare hands, drink the water, eat the meat, and then make bowls, utensils and art from the shell. A real primal experience! Come join the fun and learn a beach skill!

Have you always wanted to be a bow-drill wizard but aren't consistently getting a coal? We will discuss general principles and pitfalls of fire-by-friction and spend ample time practicing together. Please come with your own bow-drill kit if you can, but extra kits will be available.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

First Five people to sign up can take this all day class and make their own tool handle. Additional students are encouraged to come to the first part of the class for a demonstration, and to learn concepts about wood selection, harvest, seasoning and care of staves for bow making and tool handles. Bring your own blanks for making tool handles, and the heads of tools you would like to make the handle for. You can buy a blank for $10 and up, price depends on the tool. No class fee if you bring your own to carve.

Age Limit: Adults only, please
Class Fee: $10
Class Size: 5

Thursday (2/8/2018) - Afternoon

Evolutionary Archaeologist Jungle Jay takes us on an anthro-historic trip down human memory lane (and beyond) to share the deep history of our cultural evolution. From ancient dangers in nature to the more dire dangers of serially rising and collapsing civilizations, we will delve into the very times and reasons for the advent of greed, the establishment of the patriarchy and its perpetuation through the military industrial complex. We will engage in Socratic dialog regarding actions we can all take to change this narrative and also explore the very hopeful rays of a paradigm shift that are rising on the cultural horizon.

In this class we'll be brewing up some magic in the dye pots! Come learn about the wide range of color found in eastern plants and mushrooms and techniques used for color extraction. Most of the plant material will be from WNC, but there will be samples gathered from around the site to experiment with too! We will explore the basic techniques of natural plant and mushroom dyes on silk, wool and cotton using different mordants and modifiers. Some fabrics and yarn will be provided (for a small fee $2-$8), or bring something small to put in the dye pot!

come, hang out as we sew, even if you didnt start a project in the morning. maybe i have enough buckskin left-over for a small project. lets talk design, patterns, fitting, "fudging", and makin it work. if possible, please bring any awls, scissors, perma-lock needles, glover's needles. metal, bone, stone. scrap leather, buckskin, button material. you only have to pay if you buy buckskin from me, 15$ a square foot.

Stone tools manufacture process from start to finish. In this class you will be shown hands on techniques for reducing and shaping stone tools including hammerstones for percussion and pressure flaking with Ishi stick. Advanced knappers can take it to the next level!

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Come learn to knit! This class is a knitting class for beginners and will cover enough of the basics for you to knit your own headband. Yarn will be provided, and needles for the duration of the class, or participants can opt to purchase the needles from me and keep them. Knitting is a fun skill to learn, and how lovely to be able to make your own wares! This class will get you acquainted enough with the skill that you can learn other knitting styles and patterns on your own. Additional folks are welcome to join if they have their own yarn and needles, if the class is full.

What is peace? How do we cultivate it? What are the many elements that go into peaceful relations? Come explore an 8 shields approach to Peacemaking. If you deeply desire more peace in your relationships and in your community, this conversation can support your journey. There is an Iroquois legend of an extraordinary man - the Peacemaker - whose vision of peace among his people ended decades of war among the five tribes and established a lasting peaceful democracy that inspired the founders of the United States of America. Come tap into the roots of peace that are our heritage.

Prehistoric Pottery class teaches you how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The more time you put in, the more refined and bigger your project can be. If you plan to make a pot bigger than a coconut, you need to start on the first day and then let your project sit for a day (depending on relative humidity and windage) before refining.

Master-and measure alkalinity naturally! We will go over the basic chemistry of what Ph is, and learn to use fire to create ultra-acidic AND ultra-alkaline solutions with myriad applications. Check out the magic and beautiful cabbage juice Ph test! Amazing colors. We will have an open forum and experiment with using this excellent tool. Applications include soil testing, testing bucking solution strength, and acidity of ferments. lots of little-known "life hacks" in this one.

Caring about things that are being destroyed is painful. Trying to resist momentous destructive forces of our world is usually disappointing and even dangerous.From protesters getting beat up by police to those trying to run a none profit or start a business as a small organic farmer, whatever it is that you do to make positive change in our world, if you're feeling burnt out about it, then maybe this workshop is for you.

We will be holding a container to share our struggles and stories, and doing small group exercises to aid in our recovery.

topics will include activism, burnout, grief anger, the crazy state of our world. methods of self care from burn out, and exercises to deepen our sense of meaning and purpose in our work.

This isn't a plant walk to show you WHAT; it's to help you understand WHY. Why are some plants evergreen? What is the purpose of compound versus simple leaves? Why are conifers straighter than hardwoods? Why are plants hairy? Why are some plants edible and others poisonous? Why are some habitats full of food while others have little? You will learn to see plants in a new way, where every feature of their bodies is a clue to their behavior, their needs, and their specialty. Learn to understand their economics. Every plant has a strategy. And everything we know about a plant was learned from someone observing it. Learn to make those observations yourself, so that you can learn beyond what the books teach you, directly from the plants.

We will learn how to start fires with all manner of things. Lost your lighter and matches? Never fear! We'll learn how to source and store your tinder, kindling and fuel wood. How to get an ember. How to start that FIRST FIRE and then how to make every fire from then on super easy to start! We will build a rocket stove with a shovel and demonstrate some efficient fire making skills while using permaculture principles! We'll also cook up some veggie stew in a camp cauldron and share a snack!

Thursday (2/8/2018) - Late-afternoon/ evening

Grief is as natural an expression of humanness as joy, and honors the losses of what we loved: family, friends, jobs, relationships, situations, etc. Unexpressed grief can be the source of stress, illness, and disease while the process of grieving can bring balance to the body and create space for joy to recolonize the heart.

We will create a safe container together to share in sacred witnessing, body awareness, heart-opening music, and emotional release.

This grief-circle will be facilitated by Josh Fox, a song-carrier, acupuncturist, teacher, and herbalist from Asheville, NC. A grief-tender in his private practice, he has offered community healing circles for over 8 years inspired by the work of Sobonfu Somé, Laurence Cole and Martin Prechtel.

We will be singing and sharing songs related to our beautiful earth, songs that connect us to our souls and to eachother. We will invoke the magic of communal singing, celebrating life and opening hearts. The songs are multicultural and tell a story of earth-conscious living. These songs support our own empowerment, strengthen our community, and foster personal and planetary renewal. Through song, we come home to ourselves and our birthright as a singing species. Bring a song or just your lovely self. This will be in the evening around the fire. No singing experience necessary. All ages welcome. No size limit

Dress warmly and bring a blanket, and open your mind to the vastness of reality, as we lay upon the ground and turn our attention to the night sky. We will observe constellations and stars, and discussion may include star systems, galaxies, the moon, the seasons, latitude, progression of time, and the current mythology surrounding what it is we are (and aren't) seeing. You may want to bring binoculars if you have them.

Start your day with an energizing yoga practice with your fellow earthlings! We will start this class with trust exercises, strength building and stretches, then move into partner yoga work that involves stacking and flying. This class is designed for all levels and it will connect you to the earthskills community and develop friendships for the weekend and hopefully the rest of our lives! This will be accessible for beginners to learn the basics of acro yoga and more experienced yogis will have a good time calibrating and working on drills. Drills make skills! This class is offered most days of the gathering but each class is different and will have a different focus. It also coincides with breakfast but we will end right on time for you to get your plate of food to eat before opening circle (or during circle). Bring a yoga mat, blanket, towel or tapestry and an open heart ready to connect!

Rediscover the natural, joyful, effortless movement quality which is your birthright. This sequence of somatic tension release, breath meditation, silk-reeling, pushing hands, and T'ai Chi will bring you to a deeper awareness of your movements and the unity of mind and body. Wear comfortable nonrestrictive clothing. We will begin at 7AM, a few minutes before sunrise.

Build a modern, wire cable raccoon snare and learn how to set it effectively. Covers Florida trapping laws, usage of locks, cable selection, loading your snare, and where and how to set the snare to catch raccoons. You will build a snare that you can take home and use.

Inspired by Shamanic Native American Traditions, we will explore the cycles of the natural world. The Four Directions and Four Elements are tools for creating a deeper connection to the Earth, to Spirit and for healing ourselves and Mother Earth. Bring any rattles, drums, instruments and together we will co-create a healing ceremony.

This class will be a discussion on how to incorporate fermented foods/beverages to help heal various digestive/health issues within the body. Fermenting foods and beverages increases the bioavailibility of vitamins and minerals, as well as provides many different living strains of good bacteria (aka pre/probiotics) to help recolonize the intestinal tract.

Cultures from around the world have made drums like these. They've been used in all sorts of ceremony, prayer, healing, journeying, dancing, singing, and storytelling. I first learned about these drums through Native Americans ceremony.

I'll provide the deer rawhide, and the cedar hoops, then teach you how to put it all together. Once the drums are done they will need to dry overnight.

You can make either a 16 inch drum for 25$ or a 7 inch drum for 7$

This is a 2 part class, so please be prepared to come both in the morning and afternoon, though it may be possible to finish the project in just one session we will have both sessions available.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Come learn basic massage skills for the head, neck and shoulders! I will walk you through massage techniques and basic anatomy for this area of the body. Bring a partner, or come by yourself and we will pair folks up. Most all of us carry lots of tension in our neck and shoulders - come release and relax into a gentle learning space as you give and receive some therapeutic bodywork! Beginners welcome!

During this class, we will prepare various dye material harvested from the land to create at least three vats of natural dyes. Participants may want to dye multiple small skeins of yarn in each vat because many colors can be overdyed or modified to change their color. Due to the unpredictability of harvesting from nature, I will bring Osage orange (Yellow), Walnut (Brown), and Eucalyptus (Orange), to use in the event that there are limited on-site resources. I will have skeins of yarn, squares of wool fabric, and linen scarves for the participant to pick from. We will discuss the different processes for mordanting cellulose (linen) and protein (wool) fibers. You may want to bring rubber or latex gloves, pruners, a sharp knife and a seat. Class fee will range based on the materials participants use.

Which would you rather eat - a plant in the buttercup family, rose family, or pea family? What's the common medicine of many plants in the carrot family, or the mint family (hint - it's more than just digestive herbs). Knowing plant families can be very helpful in identifying a new plant, but it *really* gives you a head start about whether a new plant might be edible, medicinal or poisonous. We are going to focus on the ten most common plant families world-wide, generally how to recognize them (using some botanical terms) and then what they do. You can't always know what a plant does based on it's family, but it does help you make educated guesses. And if you're in a place where you don't know the plants, it's the best way to start.

Prehistoric Pottery class teaches you how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The more time you put in, the more refined and bigger your project can be. If you plan to make a pot bigger than a coconut, you need to start on the first day and then let your project sit for a day (depending on relative humidity and windage) before refining.

This will be the first of three classes of an introduction into Filipino Martial Arts. It is not required to attend all three courses but it is recommended. This is a reality-based self-defense and survival Martial Art (not a fighting class) based on edged, impact weapons and empty hand techniques. All levels are welcome, no experience necessary. We will review different reality based scenarios of room evacuation, diffusing altercations, surviving a weapon attack, as well as sexual assault defense for women and men. Wear comfortable clothing, please leave your egos behind and empty your cup. If under 13, please bring parent.

Stone tools manufacture process from start to finish. In this class you will be shown hands on techniques for reducing and shaping stone tools including hammerstones for percussion and pressure flaking with Ishi stick. Advanced knappers can take it to the next level!

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

For many years I've raised pastured dairy animals and have learned to make the most of the abundance of their beautiful raw milk. Here I will share my experiences with successfully making butter, cheese, yogurt, and kefir, with some hands- on demonstration! I also hope to have some kefir grains to share.

We will work with ancient Essene and Vedic practices that connect us deeply with our hearts and use our voices to tune in to ourselves and all creation. Toning and tuning our voices, we will move into using sacred sounds to soothe the soul and raise our vibration. We will end with beautiful songs in several languages that are intended to heal humans and send our love to Mama Earth. No singing experience or ability necessary. These are practices to honor your self and become a full member of the singing species that we are.

First Five people to sign up can take this all day class and make their own tool handle. Additional students are encouraged to come to the first part of the class for a demonstration, and to learn concepts about wood selection, harvest, seasoning and care of staves for bow making and tool handles. Bring your own blanks for making tool handles, and the heads of tools you would like to make the handle for. You can buy a blank for $10 and up, price depends on the tool. No class fee if you bring your own to carve.

Friday (2/9/2018) - Afternoon

The rhythm of the natural world was once the rhythm that people lived by as well. Deep in our bones and psyches, I think we still expect things to unfold as they do in nature. As the sun moves through the sky, as the seasons move through the year, energies awaken, increase, peak, decrease, and slumber again. So let's take a look at nature's map for life and see how it can help us navigate this journey. We'll use the lens of the 8 directions, the medicine wheel - a tool many cultures have used through time. We'll look at the energies of the 8 directions and how they are reflected in the natural cycles of a day, a year, plant life, human life, the life of a relationship, the life of a project, and more. And we'll discuss how we can tap into those energies to better understand and design for life experiences.

This will be a basic introduction/refresher, with acknowledgement to the fact that this can be a confusing and even triggering topic. We will cover all forms of consent, giving space to uncover the intricacies of how, when, and why consent is required in our interpersonal interactions. Stories and sharing will be welcome. This will be a participatory class with activities and discussion.

A ceremony for cutting energetic "cords" to people, experiences, emotions and unhealthy patterns that may even come from other lifetimes or dimensions. It can serve to free up more energy for ourselves so that we can move forward in our lives and can also release and/or heal relationships. Bring a drum, rattle or instrument.

Using the eco-print technique of transferring shape and color from an array of botanicals, this class offers experimentation with a variety of plant material and design methods. We will discuss the basics of dye plants, mordants and fibers. In the end you will create an eco-print silk scarf with your botanical design! *** feel free to bring some flower blossoms or leaves ***

Resilient communities are as much about harmonious interaction as they are about hard skills. Understanding the emotional processes that arise within us when we hear or see behaviors that trigger us and finding constructive and unifying ways to deal with those emotions can help us on our path to understanding, cooperation, and respect. This class will address tough themes in fun ways as we explore issues like blame, anger, shame, judgement, feelings of worthiness, divinity and the root of much of our aggression in society, hurt. Dominator cultures tend to downplay vulnerability, seeing it as a weakness, and something to hide. In truth, it is one of our most defining and beautiful features as humans, and is the key to true connection as we rediscover ourselves in tribe. Embodiment is part of this class, so expect to sing and be active as we connect to a deeper level.

This class will cover the basics of various fermented foods and beverages such as: Sauerkraut, pickled veggies, kimchi, kvass, kefir, etc. We will discuss what fermentation is and how it is used to preserve various fruits and vegetables for long term storage with or without refrigeration. We will go through the process of preparing a ferment and each person attending will get to take home what they make. There will also be several items to sample throughout the class.

Please bring a knife suitable for chopping vegetables, a small bowl/cup and fork to sample items and pen/paper to take notes

We will meet and depart on a field trip to Gainesville, where we will learn to identify and dig up invasive wild yams (Dioscorea alata, white yam/winged yam/edible air potato). We will return with our quarry and cook some of it in the late afternoon session at the teaching kitchen. If we find a lot, you can keep some if you want and cook it yourself later. Last year we dug up a hundred pound yam and students got to take home a lot of food. We will need people to volunteer their vehicles for a car-pool. The class fee will be paid to the drivers to cover gas, etc, as well as for gloves/oil/garlic etc. to cook the yams. Bring gardening-type gloves if you have them (shovels and loppers too).

This class is about the role of herbal medicine in first aid, with an introduction to the use of herbs for various infections and wound care. Alongside herbs, we will discuss other tools (like conventional medicines) that are important to consider. This class will also touch on what situations we may want to prepare for when building a first aid kit. Herbalism and first aid go together like two flowers of the Partridge berry!

Cultures from around the world have made drums like these. They've been used in all sorts of ceremony, prayer, healing, journeying, dancing, singing, and storytelling. I first learned about these drums through Native Americans ceremony.

I'll provide the deer rawhide, and the cedar hoops, then teach you how to put it all together. Once the drums are done they will need to dry overnight.

You can make either a 16 inch drum for 25$ or a 7 inch drum for 7$

This is a 2 part class, so please be prepared to come both in the morning and afternoon, though it may be possible to finish the project in just one session we will have both sessions available.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Evolutionary Archaeologist Jungle Jay takes us on an anthro-historic trip down human memory lane (and beyond) to share the deep history of our cultural evolution. From ancient dangers in nature to the more dire dangers of serially rising and collapsing civilizations, we will delve into the very times and reasons for the advent of greed, the establishment of the patriarchy and its perpetuation through the military industrial complex. We will engage in Socratic dialog regarding actions we can all take to change this narrative and also explore the very hopeful rays of a paradigm shift that are rising on the cultural horizon.

In this class, we will discuss and learn why there are so many taboos on menstruation, what the health and environmental impacts of these taboos are, and how we can reclaim this natural cycle in a healthy way. We will have time to share personal experiences and stories and ask questions while we hand sew reusable cloth pads. People of all gender identities are welcome to listen and participate.

If you missed the morning class, no worries. We will have a show and tell, info on natural dying and a peep in the pots from the morning class. AM students may want to be around but are not required to stay. PM students, if you still want to add something to the dye pot you can. We will have wool yarn, wool fabric strips, and linen. Color dyed in the pm class will be more subtle.

Plant Family Patterns can greatly aid in demystifying the “green wall” of species around us. Approximately 350,000 species of flowering plants are known to global science. These species have been grouped into around 15,000 genera and over 400 flowering plant families. About 200 flowering plant families grow in the temperate world where it annually frosts and or freezes including all but extreme southern Florida. You will know something significant about the majority of plants that you see in the temperate world if you learn the top 30 families around you. It is often possible to guess whether a plant is edible, medicinal, or poisonous simply by the family it occupies. However, some exceptions are important to know as well. We will engage in a walk and talk around the Little Orange Creek park where we will delve into the major plant families of the Southern USA. Students will reinforce plant identification skills by observing family patterns such as leaf, flower and fruit types. Uses including edibility, medicinality, craft, wildlife promotion and landscape beauty will be discussed. Participants will gain a more holistic understanding of the major plants comprising the Southern US flora and their potential ecological and ethnobotanical applications.

Prehistoric Pottery class teaches you how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The more time you put in, the more refined and bigger your project can be. If you plan to make a pot bigger than a coconut, you need to start on the first day and then let your project sit for a day (depending on relative humidity and windage) before refining.

Thai Yoga Massage is an ancient form of bodywork therapy that integrates elements of yoga, massage, Ayurveda, and martial arts into a beautiful dance between giver and receiver. In this class, we will explore the foundations of Thai Yoga Massage through the art of play and movement, learning simple and effective massage techniques and assisted yogic stretches that will enrich our understanding of this ancient healing practice. In this exploration, we will deepen our knowledge of human anatomy, cultivate mindfulness and compassion, and rediscover the power of touch as a tool for growth and transformation.

We will learn how to start fires with all manner of things. Lost your lighter and matches? Never fear! We'll learn how to source and store your tinder, kindling and fuel wood. How to get an ember. How to start that FIRST FIRE and then how to make every fire from then on super easy to start! We will build a rocket stove with a shovel and demonstrate some efficient fire making skills while using permaculture principles! We'll also cook up some veggie stew in a camp cauldron and share a snack!

A ceremony for cutting unhealthy ties to people, experiences, emotions, and patterns that may even be from a past life or other dimensions. Free up your energy to move forward with a greater sense of empowerment. Often relationships are released and/or healed. Bring a drum, rattle or instrument

Join songsters Josh Fox and Searra Jade around the main fire as they "open" for Doug Elliot with a plethora of original tunes ranging in topics from plants to birds to fermentation to human composting! Lots of singalongs.

Join us around the Ancestor Fire for a telling of The Peacemaker Story by Michael Ismerio. The Peacemaker Story is a BIG story that comes from the Haudenosaunee or Six Nations People, who many might know as the Iroquois. What feels particularly special and important about these native people from the North is that some of our Founding Fathers studied and lived among them before founding our own nation, and that our Nation's democracy was actually built on many of the systems, framework, and philosophies of The Haudenosaunee People.

Please join us to hear this important story. We’ll gather after dinner (maybe around 7pm-ism) and blow a conch when we’re ready to begin. It’s important to hear the context of this story, which Michael will provide at the beginning, so the circle will be closed once we begin. Come early to make sure you’re there on time. We look forward to holding space for this story and for you.

Join in a Fur Trade Era trade blanket ceremony. This event has drama, comedy, history, suspense and treasures! The trade blanket is an amazing opportunity to trade things you have made with your own hands, as well as tools, raw materials, books, used or new outdoor gear, food, clothing and other items of interest to natural, crafty earthskills folks. Participants should be prepared to split the group into two trade blankets if the group is too large.

Come and join us after afternoon classes are finished.

Same items permitted/restricted as at the AnceStore.

Age Limit: No age limit
Class Fee: none

Class Size: no limit

Saturday (2/10/2018) - Early-morning

Start your day with an energizing yoga practice with your fellow earthlings! We will start this class with trust exercises, strength building and stretches, then move into partner yoga work that involves stacking and flying. This class is designed for all levels and it will connect you to the earthskills community and develop friendships for the weekend and hopefully the rest of our lives! This will be accessible for beginners to learn the basics of acro yoga and more experienced yogis will have a good time calibrating and working on drills. Drills make skills! This class is offered most days of the gathering but each class is different and will have a different focus. It also coincides with breakfast but we will end right on time for you to get your plate of food to eat before opening circle (or during circle). Bring a yoga mat, blanket, towel or tapestry and an open heart ready to connect!

Age Limit: No age limit
Class Fee: none

Class Size: no limit

Saturday (2/10/2018) - Morning

Learn 5 basic sewing stitches while making a small pouch using felt, buttons and thread. Cost $2You will learn how to do the running stitch, back stitch, blanket stitch, blind hem stitch and sewing a button.

Learn how to apply permaculture principles to your everyday life. When we solve problems, the permaculture toolbox helps you to create tools as well as use tools that have been created from all over the world to solve these problems. It's a philosophy as well as a real-world, hands-on approach that's designed to help you to prosper by being more connected with nature's processes.

This is a serious class for serious students. It will involve a lengthy powerpoint-assisted lecture. This is a pre-requisite for the Blade Sharpening Practice class in the afternoon. Please be on-time because the lecture will take the entire two hours.Description: Everything you ever wanted to know about sharpening, but didn't know how to ask. This course will cover the theory and methodologies of making metal edges sharp. Topics will include: the nature of, and ways to evaluate, sharpness/dullness, the functions of different types of bevels and edges, the nature of abrasives used in sharpening, the trade-offs inherent in blade geometry and metallurgy, and what happens, at a microscopic level, as a blade is sharpened. Students should leave the class knowing: in detail, what they are trying to accomplish when sharpening, what materials to acquire to sharpen their tools, how to practice sharpening, how to tell if they're doing it right. Bring your preferred equipment for taking notes.

Fuz Sanderson will teach you how to make and decorate your own bamboo didgeridoo. We'll touch on the cultural history of Australian original peoples and other uses of bamboo. The class will finish with playing techniques and circular breathing. Age 13 and older

The instructor, Maurice White is an avid free diver who lives in the Bahamas. In this special class you will learn the art of breath holding which is very useful in hunting fish. Learn how to expand your lungs, relax your body, train your red blood cells to hold oxygen longer, and enter into a deeper meditative state. When the class is over you will have a greater sense of mindfulness and have a great skill to take with you to help you in times of stress.

This introductory class is for folks who have always wanted to learn to knit, or who used to know how and want to get back into the craft. We'll cover a basic method of casting on, knit stitch, purl stitch, binding off, and other elements of knitting if time allows. The class material fee includes a set of needles and enough cotton yarn for a washcloth.

You will be introduced to the art of leather carving. Learn how to create 3-D designs on vegetable tanned leather. Covers Prep, tools, carving, and finish work. Everyone gets to make a leather carving of a design provided by the instructor.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

This class will cover the method of brewing your own Kombucha, a fermented tea. We will discuss how to get started, what issues may arise during the brewing process as well as how to flavor your brew with a secondary ferment process.I will have various flavors of Kombucha to sample, as well as Scobies (kombucha culture) to share.

We will demonstrate how to make a simple park bench from a discarded wooden pallet. This bench will be painted and donated to Little Orange Creek Nature Preserve following the gathering. We will talk about how to safely dismantle pallets, the environmental impacts of pallets (the pallet industry is - by far - the largest consumer of hardwoods in North America, and about 50 percent of wooden pallets are used only one time before being discarded), where to find good pallets and other ideas for simple pallet projects for your home, cabin, garden, your community park, etc.

Imagine a world where young women are honored the first time that they begin bleeding (menarche). A world where women on their moontime (menstruation) are supported by the whole community to relax and dream and offer new visions. After experiencing a lot of painful cramps for some years, I decided to create a menarche ceremony for myself. I did research on ceremonies and how other cultures have supported women in this way. It was a beautiful ceremony with my sisters, and since then I have experienced very little pain and lots of joy during my moontime. This convinced me that ceremony is crucial to counter the permeating shame around women's bleeding, and for the healing of our culture. Let's create a ceremony together to honor menarche and our beautiful moontime. We'll include relevant songs and body art. This ceremony will help us heal our own relationship to our bodies and moontime, and deeply honor the maiden in us, as well as support us being there for the young women in our lives as they come into their menarche.

The basis of peasant diets for centuries, naturally leavened breads made from whole grains are a nourishing staple food for many people. Come learn how to properly prepare whole grains in the form of slow-rise sourdough and breads in various forms, and how these preparation methods increase the nutritional availability and flavor. Also including a discussion of making a starter culture and maintaining it, and some time saving alternatives. I hope to have some sourdough starter to share as well.

Nordic Walking is a form of physical activity, where regular, natural walking is enhanced by the addition of the active use of a Nordic Walking poles. Nordic walking is great exercize to keep people healthy and in shape. It is fun activity for any age, great cardio trainning and an awesome fat burner. The two hours class includes a short explanation, stretching, games and Nordic Walking itself.

What is peace? How do we cultivate it? What are the many elements that go into peaceful relations? Come explore an 8 shields approach to Peacemaking. If you deeply desire more peace in your relationships and your community, this conversation can support your journey. There in an Iroquois legend of an extraordinary man - the Peacemaker - whose vision of peace among his people ended decades of war among the five tribes and established a lasting peaceful democracy that inspired the founders of the United States of America. Come tap into the roots of peace that are our heritage.

We will explore the Living Landscape, meeting the Local Plants, Fungi and other Beings and discussing their intricate Connections and the greater Ecological Settings of Central Florida. Know your Wilds!

Using the eco-print technique of transferring shape and color from an array of botanicals, this class offers experimentation with a variety of plant material and design methods. We will also discuss the basics of dye plants, mordants and fibers. In the end you will create several squares to string up for your own prayer flags! ***Grab some flower blossoms on the way to the gathering if ya see some, it's fine if they wilt******Material fee- sliding scale $2-$8***

Join Melissa DeSa of Working Food and their Southern Heritage Seed Collective for a seed swap on Saturday February 10th from 9:30am-3 pm. Bring some seeds to share or donate to the table, swap with others, and pick some up to try in your gardens. You never know what cool varieties will turn up at a table like this and what stories will be shared! We will provide information on seed saving, gardening and have an interactive table of neat seeds, seed pods and information to share.

This will be the second of three classes of an introduction into Filipino Martial Arts. It is not required to attend all three courses but it is recommended. This is a reality-based self-defense and survival Martial Art (not a fighting class) based on edged, impact weapons and empty hand techniques. All levels are welcome, no experience necessary. We will review different reality based scenarios of room evacuation, diffusing altercations, surviving a weapon attack, as well as sexual assault defense for women and men. Wear comfortable clothing, please leave your egos behind and empty your cup. If under 13, please bring parent.

Learn how chop up and eat swamp cabbage trees. Swamp cabbage was a food frontiersmen lived off of in south Florida and is still eaten in some parts of Florida. We will cook the swamp cabbage and eat it for lunch. Bring chopping tools like machetes if you have any.

Spend your afternoon learning how play can be elevated from temporary fun to a full-time lifestyle. We will be using physical games to re-invigorate our mental and emotional health and bring joy to every day tasks. Make sure you bring a full water bottle (or two!), clothes that allow for freedom of movement and shoes you can run in. Lots of dangley jewelry is not advisable. No one wants to lose an eye to a necklace pendant! A notebook and pen/pencil will also come in handy, as we'll be getting our brains in on the action as well! And again. WATER!!!!!

Holding a grudge can be toxic for your life and community. True reconciliation exposes the awfulness, the abuse, the hurt, the truth. It's a risky undertaking, and the practice of forgiving is not easy and doesn't come quickly. But! When one chooses to engage with the process, it produces meaningful and important insights into who we are in relation to ourselves and others. Only an honest confrontation with reality can bring about real healing. Forgiving is not forgetting; it's actually remembering and not using your right to hit back. It's a second chance for a new beginning, and an opportunity to avoid repeating what happened. This workshop focuses on the fourfold way towards forgiveness with deep discussion groups, authentic relating activities, and songs with movement to help move the energy. If you've been holding on to something too long, come and join so you can work through it with your tribe.

The Magic of the Emotions: Discovering and harnessing the power of your emotions

Your emotions are imbued with deep wisdom and great power. You can tap into this resource. Learn a method for exploring the meaning behind your emotions. Then use a simple energetic technique to harness the power of your emotional body. These tools will help you understand yourself and others better. They will allow you to turn automatic, involuntary behavior patterns into appropriate responses, so you can live in a more natural and harmonious way.

lets approach the grounds as a survival scenario. you will get dirty, maybe wet, cold perhaps, wandering as a group with the intention of thriving. we dont know what to expect, except the un-expectable. This class lasts all day and could go on into the evening if so inspired....

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

Saturday (2/10/2018) - Afternoon

Come learn the basics of this ancient healing art that is beneficial to the giver and receiver. It is very interactive and involves a lot of assisted stretching. We will practice working on the feet, legs, hips, back, shoulders and head. Please bring a blanket or yoga mat. Loose-fitting clothing is recommended, as you will need full range of motion. Please be aware and notify the instructor of any contraindications that could be affected by the practice, such as injuries, pregnancy, diseases or other medical conditions.

This class requires "Blade Sharpening Theory" as a pre-requisite. This is your chance to use some of my equipment and practice, while I watch and coach you. You must bring something to practice on (knife, ax, etc). Scissors and tiny pocket-knife blades are difficult for beginners. I recommend something with a wider blade. This class is 3 hours, so people can drift in and out. I will bring a number of sharpening platforms so many people can work on their tools at once, though I can really only pay close attention to one person at a time. Donations are appreciated to defray the costs of materials I bought for the class but not required.

We will focus in this class on plant family patterns and what they indicate regarding identification and ethnobotanical application of exotic invasive plants for food, medicine and beauty. A review of the ethnobotanical literature helps underpin the opportunities to employ these plants and effectively make use of a problem by turning it into a resource. We will take a walk and pursue an in depth look at some of the prime species of plants occurring on the Little Orange Creek Nature Park property

Grief is as natural an expression of humanness as joy, and honors the losses of what we loved: family, friends, jobs, relationships, situations, etc. Unexpressed grief can be the source of stress, illness, and disease while the process of grieving can bring balance to the body and create space for joy to recolonize the heart.

We will create a safe container together to share in sacred witnessing, body awareness, heart-opening music, and emotional release.?This grief-circle will be facilitated by Josh Fox, a song-carrier, acupuncturist, teacher, and herbalist from Asheville, NC. A grief-tender in his private practice, he has offered community healing circles for over 8 years, inspired by the work of Sobonfu Somé, Laurence Cole, and Martin Prechtel.

"Doors" will close quickly to create a safe container, so please arrive promptly if you wish to come.

What does it mean to live in a cooperative setting? How can one navigate through all the intricacies of life in community? In this class we will take a look into a suburban residential cooperative known as the Peanut Butter Palace, a community space that has been active for more than 4 years. Originally a co-housing opportunity for students in East Orlando, natural succession has transformed this home into a thriving beacon of community and Permaculture. Some see it as a healing space, where people come to live slow and figure life out, others as a incubator where one can reflect on their dreams, aspirations, and life purpose. As we juggle our personal life with our community life, you can find anyone of us working part-time jobs, gardening, fermenting, building relationships with neighbors, organizing fundraisers and workshops, cooking dinners, and playing outdoors. We are a group of millennials, 7 in total, who are choosing to live in a counter-cultural way. While society has taught us to take the high road into individualism, we have decided to band together to learn how to reduce our collective impact on the Earth. Behavioral changes and cultural assimilation are key components when considering a cooperative life style, where one must evaluate their own way of viewing the world both internally and externally.

This class is about touch, palpation of subtlety and non-verbal communication. It is a series of experiential exercises, each with specific, isolated intentions. These exercises build on one another in hopes of gaining fresh experience of certain aspects of life, in order to draw insight from those direct experiences and through the sharing and reflections as a group. I believe deeply that there is medicine in each moment and contact, be it bitter or sweet, if we are willing to find the lessons. I believe that we are in this together in many ways, and can learn ways and skills to become more present and available to one another to truly inspire safety and healing.

Learn to make a friction fire with this modification of the bow drill method. You will also learn a method of lighting a fire using charcoal in place of a tinder bundle.This is a hands on class for ages 13 and up. Bring a sharp knife.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Evolutionary Archaeologist Jungle Jay takes us on an anthro-historic trip down human memory lane (and beyond) to share the deep history of our cultural evolution. From ancient dangers in nature to the more dire dangers of serially rising and collapsing civilizations, we will delve into the very times and reasons for the advent of greed, the establishment of the patriarchy and its perpetuation through the military industrial complex. We will engage in Socratic dialog regarding actions we can all take to change this narrative and also explore the very hopeful rays of a paradigm shift that are rising on the cultural horizon.

We will create a chemical Indigo Vat, which will permanently dye protein or cellulose fiber blue.We will go over simple shibori style techniques of folding, pinching or sewing. Participants will be able to dip their project into the vat and watch the magical transformation that happens when the Indigo is exposed to oxygen. Indigo vats are sensitive to ambient temperature. Class Fee is dependent on what item(s) are selected for the Indigo vat: I will bring linen scarves, bamboo socks, cotton tee shirts and yarn.

Participants may want to bringChemical Gloves (latex or Rubber) the indigo will stain your hands blueSmall Plastic Bags or a bucket (for harvesting and or moving wet fibers)Writing material and a notebook

Several species of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia spp.) are common throughout Florida, the Southern United States and Mexico, both in the wild and in landscaping. Learn how to utilize these fascinating plants both as food and medicine. Botany and identification will be covered as well as processing techniques to avoid both the cactus spines and the ubiquitous prickly hairs, called glochids. Attendees will have the opportunity to removes spines and glochids using two different techniques. Please bring leather gloves and a knife to class for this purpose and please wear shoes. We will prepare burn medicine from the prickly pear and sample prickly pear pickles.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $2
Class Size: 15

Join Melissa DeSa of Working Food and their Southern Heritage Seed Collective for a seed swap on Saturday February 10th from 9:30am-3 pm. Bring some seeds to share or donate to the table, swap with others, and pick some up to try in your gardens. You never know what cool varieties will turn up at a table like this and what stories will be shared! We will provide information on seed saving, gardening and have an interactive table of neat seeds, seed pods and information to share.

This is a primal skill used by the indigenous indians of Florida and coastal regions of the United States and the Caribbean. This class is hosted by Maurice White and taught by the world's leading Caribbean Archaeologist and curator of the Caribbean Archaeology department of the Florida Museum of Natural History, Dr. William Keegan.

Songwriting is a powerful healing tool for expressing your truth, percolating wisdom, and reframing and integrating life experiences into lessons that serve your growth. Through group, partner and solo exercises that include free-flow singing, empathetic listening and reflecting, and journaling, participants will tune into their heart space and get the creative juices flowing so they may create and craft their own songs. There will be plenty of space for group discussion and Q&A, as I am happy to share details about my personal process, techniques, advice, types of songs/song structures, and whatever else folks are interested in picking my brain about! Bring a journal. Musical instruments welcomed, not required.

Stone tools manufacture process from start to finish. Make a projectile point with your own hands! In this class you will be shown hands on techniques for reducing and shaping stone tools including hammerstones for percussion and pressure flaking with Ishi stick. Advanced knappers can take it to the next level!

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: none

Saturday (2/10/2018) - Late-afternoon/ evening

Have you ever wondered how you can be eating good food, living a healthy lifestyle and STILL feeling burned out and tired? Come learn how the 8 Shields model helps us tune into and use our own Feminine energy to build our physical health and vitality and re-connect us to our passion. This class will give a basic overview of the 8 Shields model and how it applies to the Feminine in general and women in particular. Bring a notebook and pencil, your willingness to talk cycles, and a pillow or two for your rear. And wear something that makes you feel divine! This class is open to all women ages 14 and up and will be held Saturday Evening in the Red Tent from 7-9pm.

Come join us for an evening of music, storytelling, games, and more as we host an interactive jam around the fire. We'll sing together, get to know each other through connection games, and even have a few surprises too. Facilitated by the Awakening Harmony team of Fox, Searra Jade, and Jon Handelman.

Please join us for the Old-Time/ Contra dance with the Potluck Poachers and caller Susie Rudder. Potluck poachers include Pete Sucsy - guitar and banjo, Eleta Sucsy- penny whistle, Karan Newman - Mandolin and fiddle, Pat Stevens - Guitar and banjo, and Chuck Spitzner on upright bass. Everyone is welcome and encouraged to attend. Instructions will be given throughout the dance. Beginners lesson begins at 7:45pm. Dance starts at 8pm. Songs earlier in the set will be geared towards those learning the steps. Bring some water to drink!

Join Jon and Searra around the Acoustic Jam Fire as they facilitate a fun smorgasbord of interactive and musical games and songs, and free-styling. Guaranteed to be a silly, playful and connective experience!

The Night Sky, window of perspective and diminisher of Egos... Any way, dress warmly and bring a blanket, and open your mind to the vastness of reality, as we lay upon the ground and turn our attention to the night sky. We will observe constellations and stars, and discussion may include star systems, galaxies, the moon, the seasons, latitude, progression of time, and the current mythology surrounding what it is we are (and aren't) seeing. I will point at things with a laser beam. You may want to bring binoculars if you have them. Seriously, bring a blanket. Childrens are welcome.

Join in a Fur Trade Era trade blanket ceremony. This event has drama, comedy, history, suspense and treasures! The trade blanket is an amazing opportunity to trade things you have made with your own hands, as well as tools, raw materials, books, used or new outdoor gear, food, clothing and other items of interest to natural, crafty earthskills folks. Participants should be prepared to split the group into two trade blankets if the group is too large.

Come and join us after afternoon classes are finished.

Same items permitted/restricted as at the AnceStore.

Age Limit: No age limit
Class Fee: none

Class Size: no limit

Sunday (2/11/2018) - Early-morning

Start your day with an energizing and relaxing yoga practice with your fellow earthlings! We will start this class with trust exercises and stretches, then move into partner work that involves therapeutic flying and massage. This class is designed for all levels and it will connect you to the earthskills community and develop friendships for the weekend and hopefully the rest of our lives! This is a perfect way to end the weekend as you will get stretched and massaged and it will leave your body feeling better after a few days of travel and camping. It also coincides with breakfast but we will end right on time for you to get your plate of food to eat before opening circle (or during circle). Bring a yoga mat, blanket, towel or tapestry and an open heart ready to connect!

Come learn nature- based games that increase your awareness and heighten your senses. Through having fun and playing we are also training our brains to have a consciousness natural to most Earth-based communities. A 360 degree awareness of what is happening around us at all times. After each game we will discuss how this game can be facilitated to children, teens, and adults, giving you a repertoire of games to take back to your community. We will also learn activities that invoke intuition and our awareness beyond the traditional 5 senses. Older children (10+), teens and adults welcome.

We will meet at the Fire and find a nice field that also has some shade.

The astounding World of Birds and Bird Language offers us new and novel insights and unexpected wisdoms that greatly expand our Awareness and understanding of the wild landscape.

Come ready for an inspiring class that dives deep into the lives of our local feathered friends, and teaches practical techniques to begin the life changing journey of joining the Conversation of the Wilds.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Nordic Walking is a form of physical activity, where regular, natural walking is enhanced by the addition of the active use of a Nordic Walking poles. Nordic walking is great exercize to keep people healthy and in shape. It is fun activity for any age, great cardio trainning and an awesome fat burner. The two hours class includes a short explanation, stretching, games and Nordic Walking itself.

Prehistoric Pottery Clay Play class teaches you, through discussion with Turnstone, how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The firing has already happened, so come and play with clay!

This will be the last of three classes of an introduction into Filipino Martial Arts. It is not required to attend all three courses but it is recommended. This is a reality-based self-defense and survival Martial Art (not a fighting class) based on edged, impact weapons and empty hand techniques. All levels are welcome, no experience necessary. We will review different reality based scenarios of room evacuation, diffusing altercations, surviving a weapon attack, as well as sexual assault defense for women and men. Wear comfortable clothing, please leave your egos behind and empty your cup. If under 13, please bring parent.

This feminine yogic practice is designed specifically for the attunement of your sexual body the focus being to awaken to, and gain direct access to, the innate force of divine pleasure that emanates from your center channel. In this class we work with breath, sound, and movement, both individually and interpersonally, to acquire the tools to cultivate and express sexual/creative energy (Shakti) in the body, developing a deeper relationship to the embodied Self and the ecstatic nature of your Being~

We will learn all about the traditional harvesting tools called a sickle and a scythe. When do we use them? How do we easily use them and get more done? How to we maintain their sharpness? How to source them and their parts? What to look for to get a great scythe and pay the least for it? Take the scythe back from the grim reaper and put 'em to work!

I will be leading a voice workshop designed to open us up and find harmonies and resonance...mostly just by singing. Four-part harmonies, as well as rounds, soulful to silly. We'll do songs you haven't heard, guaranteed.

Want to learn how to walk out in the woods and make a fire with only a knife or even your bare hands? We will walk around the property and find various resources for fire making like willow, cypress, swamp cabbage, monkey hair, pitch sticks/twigs, tinder fungus, etc...

The Plan: A Concept in Building Permaculture based Homesteading Community

Live Rent Free, A Safe Place to BEHomesteading is a community sport, it takes a village. Grandma KoKo is a displaced homesteader with a plan to assist the growth of Homesteading Eco-villages. Planned Homesteading Communities based on sustainable, earth friendly and locally-self-sufficient practices will provide rewarding livelihood and economic security. This is an appealing way to create ‘jobs’ on the local level. The PLAN is friendly, affordable and up-lifting. KoKo manages a web site dedicated to promoting the possibility of an Earth centered set of living arrangements, painting a brighter vision for our future. The Plan is called Live Rent Free, A Safe Place to BE, it offers details of the What, Why and How for Planned Homesteading Communities. Read it on-line or download the pdf file at moretocome.us. We are currently planning for implementing these settlements in Tennessee, Florida and Michigan based on The Plan.

Sunday (2/11/2018) - Afternoon

Learn to make a friction fire with this modification of the bow drill method. You will also learn a method of lighting a fire using charcoal in place of a tinder bundle.This is a hands on class for ages 13 and up. Bring a sharp knife.

This class will be an introduction to the world of weapon throwing, with safety being paramount above all else.I'm not an amazing thrower myself, I'm really just trying to provide an environment for practice and the satisfaction that comes from being able to accurately toss a weapon where you like.

Age Limit: Adult supervision for children under age 12
Class Fee: $1
Class Size: 15

Prehistoric Pottery Clay Play class teaches you, through discussion with Turnstone, how to find, assess, modify, build, fire and cook with clays that you can find in the wild as well as with store bought clay. This is a come and go as you wish class. The firing has already happened, so come and play with clay!

Attain a tranquil meditative state, release bodily tensions, and deepen your awareness of your movement, breath, and bioenergy. You will learn the Eight Golden Treasures, a form of Qi Gong compiled over 800 years ago, and will gain powerful tools for self-healing and meditation. Qi Gong is an general term for a variety of movement/breathwork/meditation practices derived from the ancient Taoist practice of Taoyin. Wear comfortable nonrestrictive clothing.

The last day of the gathering is when we are usually very aware of our bodies' aches and pains. Come release some tension as we learn to exchange this ancient healing art of therapeutic touch. We will be learning massage techniques and assisted stretches that ground, nourish, and relax - with a focus on the low back, shoulders, and neck - so that we can help each other re-emerge into everyday life feeling RESTORED and REJUVENATED!

Weaving on a floor loom is a whole body experience that can be rhythmically meditative and an efficient means of creating artistic fiber goods. The focus of this workshop will be to take turns using a floor loom to weave pieces of cloth to keep. I have preset the loom with a cheerful arrangement of warp that includes cotton, wool, and other various fibers donated from a reusable resources center. You will choose your weft(s) from an array of colors and fibers. I can also demonstrate the process of setting a warp on the loom. At the end of class you can finish the edges of your newly made fabric with knotting of your choice. $5 class fee covers the length of warp that you weave and free weft. Additional weft fibers will be available for $1-5/bobbin.

A class detailing the care of different kinds of wounds with easily available home remedies and herbs, with focus on avoiding infection, best possible healing and an informed discussion about tetanus and antibiotics

Age Limit: No age limit
Class Fee: none

Class Size: 15

The views/claims expressed by instructors at the Florida Earthskills Gathering are their own and do not necessarily represent the views of Florida Earthskills, LLC.